Electric characteristics of a sample are measured to determine physical properties of the sample based on the measurement result or to determine the type of cells or the like contained in the sample (see, for example, PTL 1). Electric characteristics to be measured include the complex dielectric constant and the frequency dispersion (dielectric spectrum) thereof. The complex dielectric constant and the frequency dispersion thereof are generally calculated by measuring complex capacitance or complex impedance between electrodes by using a solution holder or the like including electrodes to apply a voltage to a solution.
In addition, for example, PTL 2 discloses a technology to acquire information about blood coagulation from the dielectric constant of blood and describes “a blood coagulation analyzer including a pair of electrodes, an application device for applying an alternating voltage to the pair of electrodes at predetermined intervals, a measuring device for measuring the dielectric constant of blood arranged between the pair of electrodes, and an analysis device for analyzing the degree of working of a blood coagulation system using the dielectric constant of the blood measured at the above intervals after the action of anticoagulant acting on the blood ceases”.
As a container to contain a sample when measuring electric characteristics of the sample, for example, PTL 3 discloses a sample cartridge for measurement of electric characteristics of the sample formed from an insulating material in a cylindrical shape, capable of holding the sample in a region including the surface of an electrode inserted from an opening of each of both ends thereof and the surface of an inner space, and provided with a narrowed portion in which an inner space is narrowed positioned between two opposed electrodes in the region.
Incidentally, a reagent used for measurement of electric characteristics of a sample is generally encapsulated in a container in an ampoule-type or cap-type form.
The ampoule-type container needs to be melted and closed to encapsulate a reagent, leading to a heavy cost burden of equipment investment and the like. In addition, the user needs to cut a specific portion of the container when the container is unstopped, posing a problem of increased time and effort.
On the other hand, the cap-type container is available in two types, the screw type and the snap-in type. The screw type container poses a problem of an increased cost burden during manufacturing and increased time and effort when unstopped. The snap-in type container poses a problem of a flying reagent when unstopped.
In addition to the above containers, a combination of a simple cylindrical container and a cap (for example, an Eppendorf tube) poses a problem of a reagent in the container flying inside the container during transportation and remaining on the container wall, leading to lower accuracy of measurement.
Further, the reagent encapsulated in these containers needs to be distributively poured into each cartridge for measurement after unstopping when electric characteristics of a sample are measured. At this point, a problem of dust and the like in the air being mixed into the cartridge for measurement is posed.